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Saturday, November 21, 2015

The Dangling Snowman

The Dangling Snowman

Tutorial

By

ImagiMeri's Creations

Hello there, this is Meri of ImagiMeri's Creations with another fun tutorial for you. I wanted to do a video, but I've been sick with bronchitis and sinusitis and have lost my voice. Please pardon my crude images, too. Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy this tutorial and I look forward to comments and questions.

The Dangling Snowman

Here's your list of supplies;

1. Creative PaperClay

2. 18"X 2.5" piece of fabric for scarf

3. 2" styrofoam ball

4. 2.5" styrofoam ball

5. 3" styrofoam ball

6. 16" piece of wire, either 20 or 22 gauge

7. 4"piece of wire, either 20 or 22 gauge

8. 5"piece of wire, either 20 or 22 gauge

9. 6"piece of wire, either 20 or 22 gauge

10. Wire cutters

11. Round nose wire pliers for creating loops in wire

12. Clay roller

13. Oven set to 230 degrees Fahrenheit

OPTIONAL:

Rubber stamps for creating texture

Bamboo skewer

Acrylic paints

Gilding paste

Glitter

Sandpaper

Shaping tool or knife

Fig 1. some of the supplies, Fig 2. starting with the smallestpiece of wire (4") create a loop on one end.

Fig 5. Proceed with steps 3-4 for remaining styrofoam balls.Fig 6. You can now roll out your clay to the 1/8" thicknessfor covering the styrofoam balls.

Fig 7. Apply a uniform layer of 1/8" clay over eachstyrofoam ball. Fig 8. here all the balls are covered.

Fig 9. Insert a bamboo skewer or other tool for the hole,which will house the "arm" wire (16"), through the middlesize clay covered ball (2.5")Fig 10. continue pushing skewer all the way through.

Fig 11. This step is totally optional. I used rubber stampsto create texture on the surface of each clay covered ball.Fig 12. Closeup of texture.You can now place your clay covered balls in the230 F oven for about one hour. Remove from oven and moveon to step 13.

Fig 13 & 14. Take fabric, with right sides together, andsew a 1/4" seam down the length, leaving ends open.Turn fabric inside out and iron flat. Take a sharp knifeblade and "scratch" at the ends to fray them.You may alsojust cut a piece of felt into a length for a scarf.

Fig 15. Using small balls of clay, create carrot nose andeyes, and mouth. Attached balls together to create thedangling snowman. Fig 16. Insert (16") wire through thehole you created for arms. Bend ends of wire into branchshapes or hands (use your imagination). Re-cookyour snowman for about one half hour to set the noseand face features.

When done cooking you can then move onto paintingand decorating your snowman. I first covered himin a layer of gesso, then painted him white. I paintedthe facial features and then I applied silver gilderspaste all over for a highlight. I wrapped his scarfaround his neck a few times and tacked it in placewith a needle and thread and a jingle bell. I alsoadded glitter highlights all over. With the bottomwire loop you can either add something to dangleor bend over the loop so it doesn't show. I thencreated a wire hook to hang him from.The snowman is now complete and can be hungon a tree or elsewhere in your house for a primitivelook for your Holiday decor.